Puddle Of Grace
by Tigerlily041
Summary: Gabrielle Lawrence(a long time behind the scenes employee of WWE) must choose between two men--Chris Jericho and Rob Van Dam. In the process she confronts past relationships and heartbreak. Story also features Shawn Michaels, Raven, and various others.
1. Prologue 1

Disclaimer: The only character I own in this story is Gabrielle. She is based on no one alive/dead to my knowledge.   
Title based on the song "Puddle of Grace" by Amy Jo Johnson. These are the lyrics, and the connection to the story will eventually be made.  
  
Have you seen yourself today?  
Could you recognize your face?  
Tell me tell me what to say  
Mine's lost without a trace  
  
Momma can you help me please?  
My hero just stabbed me  
With a knife that I did lend  
'Oh momma who's my friend?  
  
Tell me, tell me where do you go when all the diamonds have run dry?  
Tell me, tell me how do you feel after bittersweet goodbyes?  
  
I had almost found my face  
I was almost me  
But my pride couldn't swallow what it ate  
Boy I hope you're happy  
  
Tell me, tell me where do you go when all the diamonds have run dry  
Tell me, tell me how do you feel after bittersweet goodbye's  
  
How do you feel when all the diamonds have run dry?  
How do you feel after bittersweet goodbyes?  
  
Today I found my face  
Floating in a puddle of grace  
A porcelain doll with cracks to mend  
Oh momma I found a friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prologue 1

Stacy Kiebler's telephone rang. "Hello?" 

"He cheated on me."

  
"Gabrielle? Is that you? What are you talking about?" a shocked Stacy asked.

"Rob slept with another girl while I was in Atlanta. I swear to God. What is so wrong with me? Why can't I ever have a normal relationship? Am I that fucked up?"

Stacy didn't know what to say. "I am so sorry Gabby. Is there anything I can do?"

Gabrielle replied quickly. "No, I guess I'm ok. But please, tell me what's so wrong with me that I've been cheated on about 20 times in my life?

Stacy was skeptical "You're exaggerating. How were you cheated on 20 times? You've only ever dated four people." 

"Shawn slept with 11 girls while we were together, mostly ring rats...no make that 12. Actually if you count when we dated while I was still in high school, it would be 13."

Stacy freaked out. "Holy shit Gabrielle! Shawn cheated on you 13 times while you were together?!?!?. If Andrew cheated on me ONCE I'd kick his ass." 

Gabrielle responded jokingly. "We were together for 11 years...so if you do the math it's only about 1 person per year. It's not toooo bad."

"Seriously Gabby, I don't know how you did it." Stacy couldn't understand how that relationship lasted so long. 

"I sort of cheated on him too." Gabrielle always justified the way Shawn treated her, even until this day.

"Whatever. He's still a dick. I feel so bad for you sweetie, first all that crap with Shawn now Rob? Guys are evil" Stacy consoled her heartbroken friend.

"It's not the same Stacy. Don't compare Rob to Shawn, they are two different people. Rob made one mistake...and Shawn WAS a mistake." Gabrielle was upset about the situation with Rob, but comparing him to Shawn was of line.

"I guess your right. Wow, I still can't believe all the shit Shawn put you through."

Gabrielle chuckled. Stacy didn't have the slightest clue.


	2. Prologue 2

Prologue 2

"This looks interesting."

That's the first thought that crossed Gabrielle's mind as she read through Cosmo Magazine's sex challenge.

"Hey Chris...get this. The girl is supposed to get on top, and lift her leg over his body and swivel around. Then you're supposed to keep moving in circles...it's supposed to make an orgasm super intense. It looks so funny."

Chris just stared at her for a minute. "And you're telling me this because?"

"Because I'm bored, and there's nothing else to do in this stupid hotel room. Hey! I have an idea, let's try it!" she said with a child-like excitement.

Again, Chris just stared at her like she was out of her mind.

"Don't look at me like that you dork. I don't mean that we should have sex. I just want to see how stupid this looks. Besides you owe me. Do you know how boring this trip has been for me? You got to hang out with celebrities and appear on TV shows, while I sat in green rooms doing paperwork and taking care of your stupid guitar."

Gabrielle loved teasing Chris. Even though they hadn't been romantically involved in over three years, she still felt as close to him as she had ever been. There was some bitterness at first, but she didn't blame Chris for hating what she did to him. 

"You are one of a kind, you know that right?" Chris said teasingly, although he really meant it.

"Yes...and that's why you love me! Ok, lay down." Gabrielle jumped on top of him and assumed the position the magazine described...except for the actual sex part. Then, she balanced herself on his arms and started to spin around.

"Um, this doesn't seem like it would be much...oh shitttt!" Gabrielle yelled as she ended up in a toppled heap on top of Chris. " I am so sorry. I guess I'm not as sex goddess, but I guess you already knew..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Chris sat up, grabbed her face and kissed her like she was the only woman in the world.

After what seemed like an eternity, Chris pulled away. Gabrielle was shocked. There was so much running through her mind, none of it making sense. "You just kissed me." was all she could manage to say.

"Yeah, and I'm going to do it again. So if you don't want me to, say something." Chris said hoping she wouldn't speak.

Gabrielle looked into in his intense blue eyes, the eyes of the man who had saved her life by kissing her so long ago, and felt like she hadn't felt in a long time....confused. 

Sensing that she wasn't about to say anything, Chris kissed her again, more sweetly this time. He never wanted the kiss to end, but he wanted to see how Gabrielle was feeling so he pulled away.

"I've been wanting to do that for a really long time."

"How long?" Gabrielle asked.

"I don't know. My desire to kiss you is sort of always there. Like the sun, or the white house or something. You don't think about it all the time, but it's always around."

Gabrielle was really confused now. "I don't understand. You didn't even talk to me for almost a year after we broke up. You said you'd never trust me again. So when did this sudden desire to kiss me enter back into your mind?" 

Chris couldn't really explain it, but he tried anyway. "Of course I was pissed off when you cheated on me. Who wouldn't be? I thought we were going to be together for the rest of our lives. I basically came to the WWE to be with you, and then two months later you cheated on me with Scott. I didn't trust you at first, but it's been a long time, and you've changed. I never stopped loving you, no matter what I may have said. I know you're still with Rob, and I don't mean to overwhelm you, it's just that I miss holding you. I miss listening to you sing, and I just miss you Gabrielle. You always believed in me, and I don't think I ever told you how much that meant to me." 

There was a long silence in the room before Chris asked, "So, what do you think about all this?"

Gabrielle was stunned. Two years ago she would have jumped at the chance to be with Chris again, but things were more complicated now. She had been dating Rob for a year and a half, and she loved him so much. However, they had been having major problems lately, and were almost at the point of ending their relationship. Ironically, Rob had been unfaithful...something Gabrielle had been known for. She had already forgiven him in her heart, but nothing would ever be the same again. Still, every time she thought of him her heart felt warm. 

Finally she spoke. "Chris, I don't even know what to say. Can I just sleep on this?"

He smiled, and responded quickly. "Uh-huh. I'll wait as long as you need."

Gabrielle went back to her bed, and crawled beneath the covers pretending to fall asleep. She had a lot of thinking to do. The first thought that entered her mind was simple. How did it all end up this way?


	3. Chapter 1 Beginnings

Just a note: The first few chapters will probably be long and jump around a lot. This story starts at the beginning of Gabrielle's life so I have a lot to cover. Hickenbottom, in case anyone was confused, is Shawn Michaels' real last name. Any feedback is welcome! 

Chapter 1 "Beginnings"

Gabrielle Lawrence's life was unconventional from the moment it began. Her father was a military man turned drug dealer--her mother a lounge singer. Because of Anthony Lawrence's profession, he had many friends all over the country, unfortunately he also had many enemies. When his pregnant wife Anne needed a safe place to stay when she had her baby, he knew just who to call.

On the morning of September 15th 1972, the air in San Antonio Texas was warm and dry. Anne Lawrence wasn't used to weather this warm in September back home in Connecticut, and she felt extremely uncomfortable. Maybe it had something to do with the fact she had been in labor for the past six hours?

"Come on! You can do it Anne! Keep pushing!" yelled a woman with a southern accent that seemed comforting to Anne. Eileen Hickenbottom and her husband Michael has been nice enough to take a pregnant Anne into their home until she had her baby. Michaels and Anne's husband Anthony had been in the air force together as young men, and had become close friends over the years. Anne and Eileen had become close as well, and Anne had helped Eileen a great deal during her difficult pregnancy five years earlier. The Hickenbottoms were aware that living with a drug dealer wasn't the safest thing for Anne, so they had no problem providing sanctuary for her.

Finally--after seven hours--with an intense push accompanied by an equally intense scream, little Gabrielle entered the world.

The Hickenbottom's young son Shawn heard all the commotion outside the hospital room, and even though his mother told him not to, he peeked into the room and eventually entered. Shawn never listened to anyone who told him what to do.

"Mom!", the young boy tapped his mother on the shoulder, "is the baby here yet? Can I hold it? PRETTY PLEASE?!?!" 

Eileen was hesitant, but she finally gave in to her son. Who could resist the boy's wide eyed smile? 

"Fine honey...but be careful."

Shawn sat down on a chair, and the baby was placed in his lap. He looked at her very carefully, inspecting her face. He immediately felt a connection to the little girl, and when his mother reached over to take the baby away, Shawn screamed. 

"No! She's mine. I want to keep her."

For almost the next twenty five years Shawn's attitude didn't change. In his mind, he owned Gabrielle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabrielle and her mother never went back to Connecticut to be with Anthony. Anne only returned to bury her husband after his murder by rival drug dealers. At the age of seven, Gabrielle was without a father. It made no difference to her--she never even met him. She liked living with the Hickenbottoms in Texas, and she especially liked Shawn. She had developed a small crush on the twelve year old, and loved any attention she could attract from him. One night, her attempt to impress Shawn changed both of their lives forever.

"What are you watching?" Shawn asked as Gabrielle looked at the television screen intensely.

"Wrestling. My mom knows that guy." she pointed to the man she would later know as Ric Flair.

"Why are you watching this? You're a girl."

  
"It's interesting." Gabrielle was lying, but she thought Shawn would like it, so she watched it like it was the coolest thing she'd ever seen.

"You're such a freak. No wonder your dad hated you." Shawn said teasingly like a typical twelve year old boy would.

"Shut up. No he didn't." Gabrielle was used to the teasing.

"Yes he did. Why do you think he left you and your mom? He thought you were an ugly freak and didn't want you."

Gabrielle fled the room in tears. This wasn't the first time Shawn made her cry, but for some reason she always went back for more. Shawn just laughed to himself as he stood up to turn off the television. Before he could turn it off, he found himself interested in the match being shown. He had never seen wrestling before, and it intrigued him. He sat back down to finish watching the show, and enjoyed it more and more with each minute he watched.

Shawn watched wrestling every Saturday night after that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*ten years later*

"Oooh! Look at this one! I like the beads on the front"

"Yeah, but this one looks sexier. I like the neck line."

The lunchroom table at St. Mark's high school was filled with chatter. It was prom time, and girls were busy picking out nice dresses in magazines. Gabrielle was looking off into space.

"Hey Gabby, what does your prom dress look like?" one of the girls asked with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh I forgot, Gabrielle's boyfriend is too good to go to our prom. He's going to be a FAMOUS wrestler someday. He can't be seen hanging out with us lowly high school kids."

Gabrielle just rolled her eyes. She hated the girls in her high school, and couldn't wait until graduation. She was eagerly anticipating what the future held for her, and she was also eager to spend more time with Shawn---her boyfriend of two years. Gabrielle tried for years to make Shawn like her, and eventually her persistence paid off. Shawn had always thought of her as an annoying little sister, but he couldn't ignore the fact she had become beautiful, or the fact he was developing feelings for her. The age difference didn't matter to either of them. 

Shawn had dropped out of college to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. Gabrielle had no idea that her impress Shawn would spark a passion in him that could not be controlled. He had moved out of his parents' house while he went to wrestling school, and Gabrielle spent most of her time at his apartment. She had a falling out with her mother because Anne didn't approve of her daughter's relationship, mainly because of the age difference, but also because she didn't want Gabrielle involved in a serious relationship at such a young age. 

When Gabrielle returned to the apartment that day to ask Shawn about the prom, he was waiting to greet her with exciting news.

"There you are! I've been waiting for you. Sit down...I have the best news!"

Gabrielle sat down in a hurry, "What is it? Why are you so excited?"

"I got a contract with the WWF! They are thinking about putting me in a tag team with this guy named Marty. Do you realize how amazing this is?!?!? All the stuff I've dreamed about is about to come true." 

She had never seen Shawn so excited in her life. "Shawn baby...I'm so proud of you. I don't even know what to say." She grabbed his face and kissed him passionately.

Shawn quickly pulled away. "So basically I start going on the road in a few weeks. Hopefully I can make it back for your graduation but you wouldn't mind if I didn't right?"

Gabrielle looked dejected. "No, it's ok. I guess you won't be able to go to the prom with me either right? I won't go if you can't come with me."

"Who cares about a stupid prom? What is your problem? I'm telling you that I just got a job with the WWF and all your care about is yourself."

"Shawn I'm sorry..."

"Whatever. I'm not going to let you ruin my mood." 

He left the room, and Gabrielle was left alone to think. She felt bad for making Shawn upset, and would apologize later. It seemed like most of her conversations with him started with the word sorry. Nonetheless, she fell asleep that night blissfully happy because the man she loved would have to chance to live his dream.

The next morning Gabrielle woke up to find Shawn standing above her looking pale as a ghost. 

Gabrielle was half asleep but she managed to utter, "Hey, sorry about last night..."

Shawn sat down on the bed, reached for her hand, but remained silent.

Sensing something was wrong, Gabrielle sat up. "What's wrong Shawn."

"Babe...your mom. She..oh god I'm so...she died last night." Had almost couldn't say the words.

"What are you joking me?"  


Shawn wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so sorry. It was a car accident. Someone was drinking and swerved into her lane. They said they tried all they could but she..."

Gabrielle cried desperately, "Shawn, what am I supposed to do!?!?" 

"Shhh,...it's ok. I'll always be here You won't lose me."

Gabrielle was frozen. She had been without a father for her whole life and now her mother was gone. She had no other family that she knew. Shawn was the only person she had left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time passed quickly for Gabrielle after the death of her mother. She did everything possible to keep herself distracted from her loneliness. Five months after her mother died, she had lost Shawn too. He wasn't dead, and they didn't break up, but she had lost him in her mind. He had been on the road with the WWF, and besides a few phone calls on her part, they didn't have much contact. One day, a surprise phone call changed that.

"Hello."

"Hey there. Is this Gabrielle?" the male voice on the other end asked.

"Yes, this is Gabrielle" she said...not recognizing the voice on the other end of the line. 

"Hi Gabrielle. This is Ric Flair. I'm not sure if you know who I am, but I was a friend of your mother, and I just wanted to call you to see how you were doing."

Gabrielle knew who he was of course. She had watched wrestling with Shawn over the years, and Ric was one of her favorites. She had also head her mother tell numerous stories of her time singing in North Carolina jazz clubs, and Ric Flair was apparently one of her biggest fans.

"Of course I know who you are! My mom would talk about you all the time. I'm doing ok, thank you so much for even calling."

"I'm so glad to hear that." Ric replied. "So are you in school now, or are you working?"

"No, I'm not in school. Honestly, school isn't really my thing. I'm more interested in music. I've been working on a lot of songs, and hopefully I can get a record deal or something someday. Right now, I'm just a waitress."

Ric seemed impressed. "Well, if you're half as talented as your mother, you'll go far. Listen, I know this is out of the blue, but would be interested in a job here with the WWF. It's nothing glamorous, but Vince McMahon needs a few people as assistants to the talent...helping with publicity, travel...stuff like that. I know your boyfriend is here---and by the way that boy is going to be huge someday----so I thought you might be interested. 

Gabrielle was ecstatic. She had no reason to stay in Texas. If she worked for the WWF she'd be able to see Shawn all the time. 

"Wow. I don't know what to say. Sure! I'd really love to, thank you." she replied eagerly.

Ric was quick to respond. "No, thank you. Someone will call you in a few days with more information about the job. I really can't wait to meet you." He felt happy knowing Gabrielle would have a job in the company in which he worked. Anne Lawrence was an important person in his life, and he almost felt obligated to take care of her daughter.

After hanging up the phone, Gabrielle jumped around her apartment with excitement. She never dreamed that she would work in wrestling like Shawn, but knowing she'd be able to see the love of her life more often made it seem like the perfect job.

Little did she know that this job would drive them further apart.

  



End file.
